Trawl net construction



June 15, 1965 F. J. LUKETA TRAWL NET CONSTRUCTION 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1963 INVENTOR. FRANK t t K67 June 1965 F. J. LUKETA 3,188,765

TRAWL NET CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 18, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 lie 62 2? 424 .930 /6d. 0 I0 25 [0d 2a. /6a. 2d

INVENTOR. FRANK J 101(67/4 June 15, 1965 F. J. LUKETA I 3,188,765

TRAWL NET CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 18, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INV EN TOR. [KIM/K J. 0K5 TA BY Fig/aback am fl mmnm Jime 15, 1965 F. J. LUKETA 3,188,765

TRAWL NET CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 18, 1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 OO6..OQ5/ZQII/////Z@9Q.Q\ '2' t INVENT ATTOiA/[YS June 15, 1965 F. J. LU KETA I 3,188,765

TRAWL NET CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 18, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. FRANK cl (IA 67A Wham A IV'OEA/[VJ' BY f I Juhe 15; 1965 F. J. LUKETA 3,188,765

TRAWL NET CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 18, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 lde INVENTOR.

fie/WK z/T 11/4 5721 I BY Wigwam-ed 4 .4 m MM lf/OF/VEYJ' June 15, 1965 F. J. LUKETA TRAWL NET CONSTRUCTION 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Feb. 18, 1963 INVENTOR. FPA/VK J Jul 6771 BY '17. awed amzf @ww Md A True/VH4? June 15, 1965 F. J. LUKETA 3,188,765

TRAWL NET CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 18, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 United States Patent 3,188,765 I TRAWL NET CONSTRUCTIQN Frank J. Lulreta, 5567 Greenwood Ave, Seattle, Wash. Filed Feb. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 259,230 (Ilairns. (Cl. 43-9) In applications for patent previously filed by me I have disclosed panel constructions for trawl nets, both bottom trawl nets and midwater trawl nets, but particularly the former, wherein the top of the funnel is of truncated diamond shape, with its mesh cut straight across the forward bosom, together with a funnel bottom the mesh of which is (in the bottom trawl net) of triangular shape, the lower bosom being formed by contracting its wide forward edge in the transverse direction. One such application is entitled Trawl Net Panel Construction, being Serial No. 253,649, filed January 24, 1963.

Such constructions are designed for use in a net of large capacity, capable of handling individual catches of one hundred tons or more. Two suspenders of heavy twine, one at each side of the funnel, transmit the pull of sweep lines to the codend, the suspender meshes being concentrated at a forward point for securement of the sweep line, and each being distributed, at its after end, halfway about and secured to the open forward entrance to the codend. While the suspenders are part of and enclose at least the sides of the funnel, they relieve the lighter twine of the remainder of the funnel from heavy stress. The stress of dragging the codend and its catch forwardly is therefore assumed by the sweep lines, and the suspenders, and the lighter mesh of the remainder of the funnel, is largely relieved of such stress, and will distend quite fully and cause a minimum of drag.

In nets used in operations such that the catch is never likely to be measured in great tonnage, such as in shrimp fisheries, for example, the large suspenders of the type referred to are not needed, and would produce unwanted drag and excess bulk adjacent the entrance to the codend. Nevertheless, reliance in resisting drag should not be imposed upon the light mesh of the funnel, and it is an object of this invention to provide suspender elements of smaller overall size and bulk, and usually of smaller twine size, than in the suspenders of larger nets which still can be incorporated as elements of the funnel, and so oriented with relation to other components of the funnel as to keep the funnel meshes rather freely open, and the funnel substantially fully distended, yet to afford it adequate strength in the fore-and-aft direction to transrnit drag safely to a fully loaded codend.

In bottom trawl nets which have the top of the funnel of truncated diamond shape, the side edges which are forwardly convergent when in the fiat define in use the rearwardly sloping but more or less upright side edges of the funnel, along which the rear edges of the curtains are joined. Thus these side edges of the top determine the height of the net and its curtains, and the truncated or transverse forward edge of the top defines the nets upper bosom. This is desirable in this net of smaller capacity, as it is in those of large capacity. The triangular bottom normally used with the larger type of top is of a width comparable with the greatest width of the top, and it must be constricted laterally to about the width of the upper bosom, or otherwise the upright side edges would incline so much laterally as to lessen materially the height of the funnel. Such constriction is helpful in nets of large capacity, for it imposes upon the funnels bottom some of the stress of dragging the net forwardly, and so assists the suspenders. In a net of small capacity such assistance is not needed, and constriction of the meshes at the bottom of the funnel merely adds to the drag.

3,188,765 Fatented June 15, 1965 Moreover, it utilizes mesh that is unnecessary, and by that much adds to the cost of the net, and of repairs.

It is a further object of this invention to incorporate in the net, and especially in one of small capacity, a bottom mesh panel which is inherently of lesser width, requiring no lateral constriction, capable of use with the smaller suspender elements referred to above, whereby the bottom will lie more or less flat upon the ocean bottom, the suspender elements will constitute a substantial portion of the side walls of the funnel, and will assume a large part of the drag, and the whole employing the truncated diamond shape of funnel top, for cooperation in the same manner with the curtains to determine the height of the net.

Such nets can not be protected against tearing in all its parts nor under all circumstances, especially in the curtains, the lower edges whereof sweep over the bottom, and may tear if they catch upon a snag. Unless the torn portion can be removed and repaired or replaced with a minimum of delay when in the presence of shoals of fish, valuable fishing time and opportunities are lost. It is a further object of this invention so to construct and assemble each curtain and its accessories that replacement of a torn curtain panel section can be effected in minimum time, leaving the torn panel to be repaired at leisure.

These and other objects will become clearly apparent as this specification progresses, and the principles which distinguish this invention will be defined in the accompanying claims.

FIGURE 1 is a general isometric view of a bottom trawl net incorporating the invention, broken away in part.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded isometric View of the several component mesh panels of the net, separated but in correct relative locations, and FIGURE 3 is a similar view with the component panels assembled.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged isometric view of the net at the point where the sweep line joins the lower bosom suspension bar, and connects to the forward part of the suspender.

FiGURE 5 is an enlarged isometric view of the top and bottom components of the funnel, together with associated components of the net, parts being separated but in correct relative positions, and illustrating types and shapes of edge cuts according to this invention.

FIGURE 6 is an isometric view of the bottom of the funnel, cut with a different type of cut from that of the corresponding element of FlGURE 5, but capable of being substituted for the same.

FIGURE 7 is an exploded plan View of the net, including the funnels top and associated elements, and FIG- URE 8 is a like view of the bottom components of the net including the funnels bottom, cut as in FIGURE 5. FIGURE 9 is a like view of the alternative bottom shown in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 10 is an isometric view of the rear portion of the funnel in use, and the forward portion of the codend, and FIGURE 11 is a front elevational view of the same.

FIGURE 12 is an elevational view of portions of adjoining curtain sections, and FIGURE 13 is an elevational view of several adjacent curtain sections, showing the simple manner in which a sound section can be substituted for a torn section.

A bottom trawl net generally of the type chosen to illustrate this invention is shown in FIGURE 1 as it would appear in use. It includes a funnel indicated generally by the numeral 1, a codend 9 joined to the rear end of the funnel about the open forward end of the codend, at the line 94), and pursed at 91 at its after end, during use. Details of the funnel will be explained later, in general it is of approximately rounded cross-section, flared forwardly, and terminating in an upper forward bosom 10a and a lower bosom defined by the transverse suspension bar 15, located aft of the upper bosom 10a in a bottom trawl net. Sweep lines 92 diverge forwardly from the respective ends of the lower bosom, where they are anchored at 15a,'to doors 5 which'are drawn forwardly 1 7 tain lines 80 which diverge forwardly from the respectivev ends of the upper bosom 10a to the doors 5. Technically the curtain lines are upper sweep lines. The curtain lines are buoyed up above the bottom by suitable means, as for example by the buoyant or water reaction effect 'of elements incorporated in the line itself, as explained for ex-.

ample in my copending application Serial No. 186,087, filed April 9, 1962, now abandoned. The curtains have sufficient height that although they incline rearwardly and downwardly in use from their respective curtain lines, their free lower edge will sweep the bottom. Their meshes are rather widely open, for they are'not appreci ably stressed. I

The top of the funnel is normally approximately of diamond'shape, truncated across its forward edge to deand application Serial'No. 253,649. Whereas prior suspenders were of sutlicient width that their two after ends a were distributed entirely about and joined to the entrance to the codend, or to an expander ring about that entrance,

and so distributed to the meshes of the codend the pull of the sweep lines to which the gathered forward ends of the suspenders were connected, the suspender of this invention is of narrow width, and can not, with the other suspender, encircle the entrance 'to the codend. Each is still gathered atits forward end, and connects at b to the sweep line 92'at the corresponding side of the net, connected at 15a. They extend aft, until the after end 26 of each suspender joins the forward end of the codend,

usually at 93c at the forward edge of bottom panel 93b.

fine the upper bosom 10a. The portion of the top ahead of its line of greatest width defines the overhang, and the portion aft of that line is the top of the funnel proper.

The side edges 14a of this latter portion diverge forwardly,

and terminate at opposite sides at the line of greatest width. The side edges 16a of the overhang converge for- This distributes the'pull'of the sweep lines to a lower part of the mesh of the codend, elongating the latter mesh, and extending the areaof elongation gradually circumferentially towards the after end of the codend; see FIG- URE 10. The upper mesh of the codend, especially in its forward portion, remains largely unstressed and 'open. Thereby it produces minimum drag, and bellies upwardly, as does the unstressed funnel 1. The suspenders are joined along their longitudinal edges 2a and 2b to the mesh of the bottom panel 10b and of the top, along the edges 14a. At the bottom the edge 2a of each suspender is joined, while elongated, along composite edge 10c, 10a of the bottom panel. 7 7

So assembled, the suspender elements 2 constitute narwardly to their intersection with edge 10a at the upper bosom. The top preferably has a straight transverse edge 12a at its rear, where it joins the top 93a of the codend along the'line 90. The top'may be of an overall size larger than can be cut from a single width of commercial ly available netting, but can be formedby joining individual panels 10, 11, and 12. and rear edge 12a are shown as bar-cut, and its edges 14a and 16a as point-cut (see FIGURES 5 and'7) which is highly desirable insofar as concerns the relationship of the curtainsto the overhang,'yet insofar as this invention is concerned theuse of the particular types of'cut de- Its forward edge'ltla.

scribed above for theedges 10a, 14, and 16a is not material, and the types described could be reversed. The top of the net of this invention is generally similar to tops of trawl nets already proposed in my prior Patent No. 3,087,-

271, issued April 30, 1963, and in the aforementioned copending application Serial No. 253,649, for example. 'It is not appreciably distended nor stressed, even by the pull 'of upper sweep lines or curtain lines 80 secured at the opposite ends of the upper bosom 19a. The length of side edges 16a determines theheight of the net proper, and oftthe curtains 8 the rear edges whereof are joined to the edges 16a. V

The bottom of thefunnel, however, differs materially from bottoms previously proposed. Instead of'being of triangular shape, and gathered laterally across the lower;

bosom, where it joins the suspension element 15, the bot-' tom 10b of the present not might be described as pennant! shaped, in that it has more. or less paralled side edges, intersecting its forward transverse edge 10d and trending somewhat convergently aft. For instance, its forward side edges 10:: are shown as parallel and extend fore'andaft,

and merge into rear side edges lfle which converge to a point at its rear end. Its forwardedge. 10d is of width equal to the width of the suspension bar'15, and its meshes need not to be constricted laterally here, at, the

lower bosom, nor stretched laterally. Preferably, as in- FIGURES 5 and 8, its side edges 10c are point-cut, and can be elongated, and its convergent sideedges 10e are bar-cut. These types of cut may, however, be reversed, and are so shown in FIGURES G'and 9. V f V The mesh suspenders 2 also differ markedly from ,suspenders disclosed in my said. prior Patent No. 3,087,271.

7 adequate.

The edges 16a of the funnelsftop are of a length approximating the length of the rear edge 8m of the rearmost curtain panel 8a. These two edges are joined, and in use extend more or less uprightly' to determine the height of the funnel, although each such edge slopes rearwardly and downwardly;

ZTh'e curtain, except for the' rearmost panel 8a, is preferably'made up of'identical' panels '85 assembled with identical curtain line lengths b; seeFIGURES 11 and 12. Each panel has a rearwardly anddownwardly sloped edge at front and rear, and such edges of adjoining panels are joined by connectors CY(FIGURE 12), such as those shown in my Patent No. 3,121,967, held together bya line 8;. Withdrawal of theline 8c enables separation of the connected edges of adjoining panels. The adjoining ends of curtain line lengths 80b are held together by connectors soc, also quickly engageable and disengageable. Should any curtain panel, as the panel numbered 8d in FIGURE 12 to distinguish ,it from other like panels 8b,

Now a substitute, identical 8% and with weights (not shown) already along its lower edge the connectors 8a and 800 rejoined, and in short order the net with its restored curtain is ready to reset for use "This'is highly advantageous in that little fishing time is lost, and the'torn' panel 8d can be. repaired at leisure. This all can be done because thepanels 8b are interchangeable, each canbe stowed complete and ready for installation, and the connectors are readily and quickly engageable and disengageable. 7

Each panel 8b is shownin FIGURE 11 as bar-cut along its horizontal edges and point-cut along its front and rear edges, but this might be reversed, the connectors 8a in such case being appropriately modified, as in my Patent sassy/e5 From the foregoing discussion of several typical embodiments of the present invention, other modifications and adaptations thereof will readily occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention is addressed, within the scope of the following claims.

Iclaim as my invention:

1. A trawl net construction comprising, in combination, a codend, a funnel secured to and extending forwardly of the codend, and sweep lines extending forwardly from the funnel, said funnel including a top panel, a bottom panel, and suspender panels at the respectively opposite sides, all of mesh, said suspender panels being joined along their upper and lower edges, respectively, to the top and bottom panels, and at their rear edge to the codend, and means connecting the aft ends of the sweep lines to the respective forward ends of the suspenders, the mesh of said suspender panels being of strong twine, and oriented, relative to the top and bottom panels, to assume the major portion of the pull of the sweep lines and to transmit such pull to the codend.

2. A trawl net construction comprising, in combination, a codend, a funnel secured to and extending forwardly of the codend, and sweep lines diverging forwardly from the funnel, said funnel including a top, a bottom, and suspender elements all of mesh, each suspender element being secured, in tensionally elongated disposition, along its side edges to like edges of the top and bottom, respectively, at the sides of the funnel, to close in the funnel, the sweep lines being secured to the forward end of the respective suspender elements, and means joining said suspender elements to the forward portion of the codend in a manner such that they transmit the pull of the sweep lines to the codend without materially stressing the mesh of the top and bottom of the funnel.

3. A trawl net construction comprising, in combination, a codend, a funnel of mesh secured to and extending forwardly of the codend, and sweep lines diverging forwardly from the funnel, said funnel including a top of approximately diamond shape, truncated at its forward edge to define the upper bosom, the portion forward of its line of greatest width constituting an overhang and the portion to the rear of that line constituting the top of the funnel proper, the funnel further including a bottom formed with generally fore-and-aft side edges, and a transverse forward edge defining the lower bosom, and said funnel further including suspender elements of mesh panels which are generally rectangular shape, when unstressed, the side edges of the mesh thereof being secured to corresponding forwardly divergent side edges of the top and to side edges of the bottom, of the funnel, and the rear edge of the suspender elements being joined to the forward portion of the codend, the sweep lines being connected to the forward ends of the respective suspenders.

4. A trawl net construction comprising, a codend, a funnel secure to and extending forwardly of the codend, said codend end and funnel together forming a net body having sides and a top and bottom, and sweep lines extending forwardly from the funnel, said funnel including suspender panels of mesh disposed at the respective sides of the net body, and joined at their after portion to complete the round in combination,

to the codend, said top comprising mesh panel means joined to the upper edges of the suspender panels, and said bottom comprising mesh panel means joined to the lower edges of the suspender panels, said bottom having generally parallel side edges at least in its forward portion, and the sweep lines being secured to the forward ends of the suspenders to transmit the pull of the sweep lines through the suspender panels to the codend.

5. A trawl net construction as in claim 4, including a suspension element of a length substantially equal to the length of the bottoms forward edge, disposed transversely ahead of and secured to that forward edge of the bottom, the sweep lines and the suspenders being secured to the respective ends of the suspension element, and transmitting pull to the suspenders through the suspension element.

6. A trawl net construction as in claim 4, wherein the bottom, when relaxed, is of a width corresponding to the length of the nets lower bosom, and is formed with rearwardly convergent after extensions of its parallel side edges, the bottom being joined all along such side edges, including the convergent extensions, to the lower edges of the respective suspender panels.

7. A trawl net construction as in claim 6, wherein the upper and lower edges of the suspender panels are pointcut, and oriented to distend fore and aft, and the joining edges of the bottom are in part bar-cut and in part pointcut.

8. A trawl net construction as in claim 7, wherein the parallel side edges of the suspender panel are bar-cut, and the converging edge portions thereof are point-cut.

9. A trawl net construction as in claim 7, wherein the parallel side edges of the suspender panel are point-cut, and the converging side edge portions thereof are bar-cut.

10. In a trawl net which includes a codend and curtains diverging forwardly from the codend, each curtain comprising a plurality of like mesh panels, a plurality of curtain line sections each of the same effective length as its mesh panel, coupler means for joining the ends of the successive curtain line sections, and fastener means quickly releasable and re-engageable disposed along the forward and rear edges of each mesh panel, engageable with ike fastener means on adjoining panels to complete the curtain of indeterminate length, whereby a damaged curtain panel may be removed intact and replaced by a whole panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,867,281 7/32 Runkle 43-9 1,869,018 7/32 Malcolm 43-9 2,081,146 5/37 Herrington 43-9 2,619,754 12/52 Slater 43-9 3,035,365 5/62 Luketa 43-9 3,035,366 5/62 Luketa 43-9 3,048,936 8/62 Luketa 43-9 3,087,271 4/ 63 Luketa 43-9 ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

F. RAY CHAPPELL, Examiner, 

3. A TRAWL NET CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CODEND, A FUNNEL OF MESH SECURED TO AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY OF THE CODEND, AND SWEEP LINES DIVERGING FORWARDLY FROM THE FUNNEL, SAID FUNNEL INCLUDING A TOP OF APPROXIMATELY DIAMOND SHAPE, TRUNCATED AT ITS FORWARD EDGE TO DEFINE THE UPPER BOSOM, THE PORTION FORWARD OF ITS LINE OF GREATEST WIDTH CONSITUTING AN OVERHANG AND THE PORTION TO THE REAR OF THAT LINE CONSTITUTING THE TOP OF THE FUNNEL PROPER, THE FUNNEL FURTHER INCLUDING A BOTTOM FORMED WITH GENERALLY FORE-AND-AFT SIDE EDGES, AND A TRANSVERSE FORWARD EDGE DEFINING THE LOWER BOSOM, AND SAID FUNNEL FURTHER INCLUDING SUSPENDER ELEMENTS OF MESH PANELS WHICH ARE GENERALLY RETANGULAR SHAPE, WHEN UNSTRESSED, THE SIDE EDGES OF THE MESH THEREOF BEING SECURED TO CORRESPONDING FORWARDLY DIVERGENT SIDE EDGES OF THE TOP AND TO SIDE EDGES OF THE BOTTOM, TO COMPLETE THE ROUND OF THE FUNNEL, AND THE REAR EDGE OF THE SUSPENDER ELEMENTS BEING JOINED TO THE FORWARD PORTION OF THE CODEND, THE SWEEP LINES BEING CONNECTED TO THE FORWARD ENDS OF THE RESPECTIVE SUSPENDERS. 